The Do’s And Don’t’s Of A Background Check

If you were going on a blind date, you wouldn’t ask for a background check or criminal history. You’d simply go on the blind date, and accept that, worse-case scenario, you don’t have the nicest evening. But when you’re employing a new staff member, it’s police and background checks all the way. And who could blame you? You’re trusting them with your business, and allowing them access to the most confidential areas of your company. But just like on that nervous blind date, you have to be considerate of how you approach topics that might be sensitive. If you’re asking potential employees for a background check or criminal history, you might be treading in delicate waters. It might have been a minor offence, they might have changed their ways, and they might be anxious to make a new employer trust them. If you’re going to ask for a criminal background check, there are do’s and don’t’s that can make the whole situation a little less awkward and exclusive.

Background Check – Do’s and Don’t’s

DO be broad and thorough

Companies have a great potential to miss out on fantastic employees when they focus on one specific flaw. Do an expansive background check on a person, including things like education, work history, social media and references, in order to get the best possible representation of the person. Certainly use Criminal Background Checks in Australia, but don’t let that be the only aspect of the applicant you consider.

DON’T fail to communicate

If you find something when conducting a Criminal History Record Check, don’t instantly discount the candidate as a criminal. If they otherwise presented themselves as a promising employee, arrange a follow-up interview with them to discuss what you found in their background check. So many misconceptions, mistakes, and reporting errors can be resolved by conducting that face-to-face communication.

DO be consistent

When conducting background checks on job applicants, there should be a uniformity to the whole process. At no point should you decide not to gather a background check on someone based on other qualities such as where they went to university or what neighbourhood they grew up in. If you want to find the best employees, regardless of what a background check might tell you, you need to remain consistent.

DON’T use the box

The little check box on application forms that asks if you’ve ever been convicted of a crime is something all employers should consider removing from their process. An applicant won’t want to lie to you, but may fear that checking that box, no matter how long ago or how minor the offence was, will instantly put them out of the race for the job. By eliminating that box, you won’t jump to any conclusions, and will ensure all candidates have a chance to explain themselves, should some flags be raised on a background check.

DO use professionals

In order to obtain an efficient, legitimate background check, the best bet is to go through an agency with a good, honest reputation. The National Crime Check (NCC) is an Australian based company that provides fast, secure and up-to-date background checks without the hassle of going to a police station.

DON’T seek out the negative

Whilst a stain on someone’s criminal background check might raise some warning signs, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the person is no longer trustworthy. Look for patterns in the background check, as a single good act or bad act should not be the defining measure of a person or of their job ability. Use a background check to also locate positives that will help you choose between two well-qualified candidates.

Conducting criminal history checks for potential employees is an important step in hiring a new person, however it shouldn’t be as negative as many people make it. Locating patterns in someone’s background check, doing broad history searches and using professional services will ensure you get a well-rounded perception of who a person is. In many cases, a distant, minor crime will break the chances of a job applicant, but when they otherwise might be the best employee, it shouldn’t be the only deciding factor.